Iran’s President Ebrahim Raisi, Foreign Minister, 7 Others Confirmed Dead In Helicopter Crash

Iran’s President, Ebrahim Raisi has been confirmed dead after rescuers found his crashed helicopter on Monday.

According to Iranian news outlets, rescuers found the crashed helicopter which was carrying President Raisi, Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian, and seven other senior officials.

The crash occurred in the mountainous northwest region of Iran.

Iran faced uncertainty on Sunday as search teams looked for the missing helicopter in the foggy mountain area.

Rescue teams had been searching since Sunday afternoon after the helicopter carrying Raisi, the foreign minister, and other officials went missing.

On Monday, relief workers found the helicopter, and state TV confirmed Raisi’s death.

State television described Raisi as achieving “the highest level of martyrdom” and aired photos of him with a recitation of the Koran.

Iran’s vice president for executive affairs posted a Koranic verse to express condolences.

The incident happened weeks after Iran launched a drone-and-missile attack on Israel in retaliation for a deadly strike on its diplomatic compound in Damascus.

The Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei reassured the nation, saying there would be no disruption in the government.

Vice President Mohammad Mokhber has taken over presidential duties in the interim, according to the Iranian Constitution.

International condolences and offers of assistance have come from various countries and organizations.

Offers of help came from countries including Iraq, Kuwait, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Russia, Turkey, and the European Union.

Iran’s foreign ministry thanked these governments and international organizations for their support in the search and rescue operations.

The Iranian cabinet held an emergency meeting to address the situation, and a massive search effort involving the army, Revolutionary Guard, and police was launched.

Ebrahim Raisi, a hardliner who became president in 2021 after a controversial election, had previously served as chief justice.

He was known for intensifying repression against dissent, especially during youth-led protests.

Raisi was the second most powerful figure in Iran after Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

KanyiDaily recalls that Iran recently executed a British-Iranian national, Alireza Akbari after he was sentenced to death on charges of spying for Britain.